Foot conforming shoe upper



April 9, 1963 s. HUBERMAN 3,084,460

FOOT CONFORMING SHOE UPPER Filed Oct. 4, 1962 FIG. 2.

FIG. 4.

I2 H @l II/I/I (2 FIG 7 INVENTOR SAM HUBERMAN BY on m f k tm ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,084,460 FOOT CGNFGRMENG HOE UPPER Sam Huberman, Marhlehead, Mass, assignor to Schwartz 8; Benjamin, Inc, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Oct. 4, 1962, Ser. No. 228,411 7 Claims. (Cl. 36-51) This invention relates to uppers for ladies shoes and, more particularly, to a novel upper construction whose upper edge or peripheral margin always maintains a conforming close fit around the foot, and to a novel method of manufacturing such upper construction.

In designing ladies shoes, the problem of forming an upper in such a manner that its upper edge will have a close conforming fit with the foot, thereby to eliminate any unsightly gaps between the foot and the upper periphery of the upper, has been a difficult one to solve. Among many expedients adapted in an attempt to overcome this difficulty, one has been that of making the upper of a very flexible or pliable material. However, even with this expedient, the material of the upper tends to become folded or waved so that gaps are still present. It has further been proposed to use drawstrings, either of elastic material or of non-elastic material, to secure a conforming fit of the upper edge of the shoe around the foot. However, such constructions generally have been characterized by being unsightly and not having the desired fashionable appearance.

In my Patent No. 2,958,966, issued November 8, 1960, I have shown and described an upper construction which overcomes the foregoing difficulties in a novel manner. More particularly, the construction of my patent involves the formation of an upper in such a manner that, from one counterportion edge forwardly around the instep encompassing portion and back to the other counterportion edge, the upper periphery of the upper is formed as a series of closely adjacent loops through which is freely threaded an elongated elastic element which is secured only at its ends to the respective edges of the counter and in a stretched condition. These loops are so interrelated that, when the shoe is removed from the foot, the adjacent loops are held in abutment or contiguous relation by the stretched elastic element, presenting a continuous upper periphery for the upper. When the shoe is placed on the foot, the expansion is such that the loops are spread apart only very slightly, so that the overall effect is still that of a continuous seam along the upper edge of the shoe upper.

The shoe construction of my patent has found a very favorable response in the industry. However, in manufacturing the patented shoe, there were numerous difliculties encountered which contributed to the expense of manufacture. In particular, the provision of the open slits along the instep engaging portion of the upper requires that each of the tabs formed thereby be handled individually, sometimes necessitating the use of tweezers, during the placing of the tabs around the elastic element and the stitching of the tabs in position. Also, there have been drastic limitations insofar as the materials that could be used for the upper are concerned, since formance are concerned, are maintained, while the disadvantages from the manufacturing standpoint and with respect to the limitation as to the usable materials are obviated, by providing a separate binder strip which is used to form the loops through which the elastic cord or the like is freely drawn. This binder is formed as an elongated flat strip of pliable material, and is slashed 3,684,460 Patented Apr. 9, 1963 transversely at uniformly longitudinally spaced intervals therealong, the strip being provided in any desired length. An elastic cord or the like is then laid centrally along the strip and the strip is folded on itself about the cord to provide a tunnel through which the cord is freely movable. The facing surfaces near the edges of the strip are cemented together, so that a more or less tubular binding strip is provided which is characterized by a plurality of closely adjacent slits along its bight edge and by an elastic cord extending freely therethrough. This binding strip, including the cord extending therethrough, is then cut to the requisite length for incorporation into a shoe, and the binder is stitched to the upper edge of the upper with the elastic cord still being freely movable through the loops of the binder strip.

The legs of the folded binder strip may be stitched either to the outside of the upper or to the inside thereof and, in a separate operation, only the ends of the elastic cord are secured, under tension, to the upper. The elastic element or cord is thus freely movable through the loops extending around the upper edge of the upper while maintaining a tension on the loops to assure a close conforming fit of the periphery of the upper around the foot.

The invention arrangement has great advantages from the standpoint of the type of stitching used and from the range of materials which can be used. Thus, the

stiip formed with the loops through which the cord extends can be used in a substantially infinite variety of manners for decorative or utilitarian purposes. The particular type of stitching is within the discretion of the designer or manufacturer, and contrasting decorative colors and/or stitching may be used in a variety of ways. Alternatively, and if desired, the gored binder strip may be cemented to the upper adjacent the upper edge of the latter.

A particular advantageous feature of the invention is its use with shoe uppers formed of open mesh fabric. In this case, the method of forming the binding strip and attaching it to the upper periphery of the upper is somewhat different than hitherto mentioned. The strip, folded around the longitudinally and medially extending elastic cord is not cemented to form a closed tube. The open strip is placed with its edges on opposite surfaces of the upper so as to overlap the upper edge of the upper which, in the case of mesh fabric, is usually rather rough. As the strip is thus placed in embracing relation over the periphery of the upper, the elastic cord is fed into the folded strip and the lower edge portions of the strip are secured to the upper by suitable stitching. The elastic cord remains freely movable through the loops which project above the upper periphery of the upper. The folded over strip, embracing the upper periphery of the upper, thus encloses and conceals the rough upper edge of the mesh fabric. The attachment of the strip to the upper and the securement of the edges of the strip to each other, through the medium of the stitching securing both edges to the upper, is done in a progressive manner. After the strip has been thus attached, only the ends of the elastic cord, which cord is in a stretched condition, are secured to the upper at suitable points to provide the necessary tension for holding the upper in close conforming engagement with the foot.

In accordance with the invention, the ends of the elastic cord may be secured to the shoe at the forward edges of the counters. However, it is within the purview of the invention that the ends of the elastic cord may be secured to the shoe at any other desired location at the rear portion of the shoe, and may even be continued around to the rear seam of the upper and there attached to the upper.

For an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference is made to the following description of typical embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the fabric portion of the binder strip before assembly of the elastic cord therewith;

FIG. 2 illustrates the flat strip with the elastic cord laid therealong;

FIG. 3 is a view of the strip folded over with the cord enclosed and with the edges of the strip cemented together;

FIG. 4 is a section on the line 4-4- of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view illustrating attachment of the binder to the upper;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of a completed shoe embodying the invention;

FIG. 7 is a section taken on the line 77 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 but illustrating a modified form of the invention; and

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 and illustrating the invention as applied to a shoe having an upper formed of mesh material.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 4, in the first step of the method of the invention, a relatively narrow and elongated strip or tape 10 of any suitable fabric is provided in flat form and is fed through a slashing machine which forms a series of uniformly longitudinally spaced and transversely extending slits 11 therein. In the next step, an elongated cord or filament 15, of elastic material which may be either uncovered or covered, but which preferably is covered, is laid medially along the flat strip 10.

In one embodiment of the invention, the strip 10 is then folded medially upon itself, as indicated in FIGS. 2 and 3, and the folded edges of the strip, outside of the slits 11, are secured together, preferably by cementing to form a tunnel enclosing the elastic cord 15. The effect of this is to provide a series of loops 12 along the bight edge of the folded over strip, these loops 12 being separated by the slits 11. The cord 15 is freely movable through the folded over strip and is not secured thereto in any way. The combination strip and elastic cord assembly or gored strip thus formed may be provided in any length whatsoever and is used in the embodiments of the invention shown more particularly in FIGS. 7 and 8.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 9, the strip 10 is not folded on itself around the elastic 15 until it is being incorporated into the upper assembly, as will be described more fully hereinafter.

In the next step of completing the upper, the composite assembly 10-15 is secured to the upper Referring to FIG. 5, this upper blank 20 is shown as formed from a somewhat horseshoe shaped blank of flexible and pliable material such as, for example, natural or artificial leather or leather-like substances. For example, instead of natural or artificial leather, the upper blank may be formed of suitable plastic composition material or may be formed of a mesh material, as used frequently in ladies shoes designed for formal wear.

Upper blank 20 is shown as having an inner or upper periphery 21, an outer or lower periphery 22, heel peripheries 23, and a curved toe and instep encompassing portion 24. The perpheries 23 are adapted to be stitched together to shape the counter and heel portion of the upper, and the toe portion 24 may be of any desired configuration and may be seamed or not in accordance with the desired type of shoe to be formed. The particular manner of seaming together the peripheries 23 and of forming the toe and instep encompassing portion 24 is of no consequence to the princples of the present invention.

Either before or after the upper is shaped to form, the composite gore 10l5 is secured along the upper periphery 21 of the upper 20, in any desired manner but preferably by stitching which may be of any desired type or design. Alternatively, the composite gore 25 may be cemented to the upper periphery 21 of the upper 20. At this time, the elastic cord 15 is not secured in any manner to the upper 20-, but is left freely movable through the tunnel formed by the folded over strip 10.

In a subsequent operation, the elastic cord 15 is placed under tension and only the ends of the cord are stitched, or otherwise secured, to the upper. If the shoe is to be of the type shown in my aforesaid patent, then the ends of the cord are stitched to the upper at the forward edges of the counterportions, so that the elastic effect occurs in that area extending forwardly from the forward edges of the counterportion and including the curved portion of the instep. Alternatively, the elastic cord ends may be stitched to the upper adjacent the seam between the heel peripheries 23, in which case the elastic effect extends completely around the entire upper periphery of the upper 20.

The resultant shoe is shown in FIG. 6 as completed with an outer sole 16 attached to the upper and a heel 17. The shoe may also be provided with the usual innersole and a lining of any type desired.

As illustrated particularly in FIGS. 7 and 8, the composite gore 25 may be secured either internally of the upper, as illustrated in FIG. 7, or externally thereof, as illustrated in FIG. 8. In these two figures, a line of stitching 13 is indicated as securing the composite gore to the upper 20 while leaving the elastic cord 15 freely movable through the composite gore.

In either case, the effect, as far as appearance is concerned, is essentially the same as that of the shoe covered by my issued patent. A line of closely adjacent and normally contacting loops 12 extends around the periphery of the upper, particularly when the shoe is not on the foot. When the shoe is placed on the foot, the composite gore 25 stretches to some extent and provides a closely conforming fit of the composite gore around the foot of the wearer. The loops 12 will then be slightly spaced by the slits 11, but the spacing of the loops is practically unnoticeable in practice.

A feature of the invention is that the provision of the separate composite gore 25 secured to the upper edge of the upper eliminates the need for the usual binder or binding strip used around the upper edge of the upper, or the usual hemming and stitching required to provide a neat appearing upper edge of the upper. The composite strip not only takes the place of this binding but also performs the function of assuring a closely embracing relation of the upper edge of the upper to the foot of the wearer.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 9, the method of assembly of the gore to the upper is somewhat different. The upper shown in FIG. 9 may be a mesh type upper such as used in ladies shoes for formal or evening wear, and this mesh fabric would normally have a very rough upper periphery as well as a very rough lower periphery. The upper 29' of FIG. 9 has its roughened upper edge concealed and enclosed in a novel manner. In assembly of the composite gore 25' to the upper 20, the strip 10 is folded about the cord 15 in such a manner that the edges of the strip 10* overlie opposite surfaces of the upper edge of upper 20'. The two edges of the folded over strip 10 are then stitched to the upper 20', the edges overlying opposite surfaces of the upper, by stitching suitably indicated at 13. While the method of assembly in the case of the embodiment of FIG. 9 is somewhat dilferent from that of the embodiments of FIGS. 7 and 8, the resultant shoe has essentially the same appearance as that of FIGS. 7 and 8, at least so far as its outward appearance is concerned. In the case of FIG. 9, the composite gore not only acts to provide the necessary elasticity to the upper edge of the upper for a close conforming fit with the wearers foot, but further acts as a binding strip which conceals a relatively rough upper edge of the mesh fabric.

It should be understood that the particular type of stitching utilized to secure the composite gore to the upper may vary widely and is within the discretion of the user. Also, the strip may be the same material as the upper or may be of a different material. Contrasting decorative colors and contrasting or decorative stitching may be used in a variety of ways.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise withoutdeparting from such principles.

What is claimed is:

l. A shoe upper construction comprising, in combination, an upper, of pliable material, having an upper periphery and a lower periphery; a binder strip of pliable substantially non-elastic material formed, throughout its length, with a series of substantially uniformly longitudinally spaced transversely extending and substantially equal length slits terminating short of its longitudinal edges, and folded medially on itself to provide an elongated tunnel constituted by a pair of legs joined by a bight portion which is characterized by a series of closely adjacent loops separated by said slits; the legs of said tunnel being secured to said upper adjacent the upper periphery of the latter, with the bight portion extending outwardly of said upper periphery; and an elongated elastic element extending freely through the tunnel loops and having only its opposite ends secured, with the element under tension, to said upper.

2. A shoe upper construction, as claimed in claim 1, in which the legs of said tunnel are secured to said upper with both said legs overlying the inner surface of said upper.

3. A shoe upper construction, as claimed in claim 1, in which the legs of said tunnel are secured to said upper with both said legs overlying the outer surface of said upper.

4. A shoe upper construction, as claimed in claim 1, in which the legs of said tunnel are secured to said upper with said legs overlying oppositesurfaces of said upper so that said tunnel embraces the upper periphery of said upper.

5. For use as a binder for the upper periphery of a shoe upper, an elongated binder strip of pliable non-elastic material formed, throughout its length, with a series of substantially uniformly longitudinally spaced transversely extending and substantially equal length slits terminating short of its longitudinal edges, and folded medially on itself to provide an elongated tunnel constituted by a pair of legs joined by a bight portion which is characterized by a series of closely adjacent loops separated by said slits; and an elongated elastic element extending freely through the tunnel loops.

6. For use in a shoe. upper construction, a binder strip of pliable non-elastic material formed, throughout its length, with a series of substantially uniformly longitudinally spaced transversely extending and substantially equal length slits terminating short of its longitudinal edges, and folded medially on itself to provide an elongated tunnel constituted by a pair of legs joined by a bight portion which is characterized by a series of closely adjacent loops separated by said slits; an elongated elastic element extending freely through the tunnel loops; and means securing the juxtaposed legs of said pair to each other.

7. A binder for a shoe upper construction, as claimed in claim 6, in which said juxtaposed legs are cemented to each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,110,624 Guiifre Sept. 15, 1914 1,902,053 Zide Mar. 21, 1933 2,061,746 Wagner Nov. 24, 1936 2,223,339 De Liso Dec. 3, 1940 2,280,622 Brewin Apr. 21, 1942 2,293,370 Tweedie Aug. 18, 1942 2,958,966 Huberman Nov. 8, 1960 

1. A SHOE UPPER CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, AN UPPER, OF PLIABLE MATERIAL, HAVING AN UPPER PERIPHERY AND A LOWER PERIPHERY; A BINDER STRIP OF PLIABLE SUBSTANTIALLY NON-ELASTIC MATERIAL FORMED, THROUGHOUT ITS LENGTH, WITH A SERIES OF SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORMLY LONGITUDINALLY SPACED TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING AND SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL LENGTH SLITS TERMINATING SHORT OF ITS LONGITUDINAL EDGES, AND FOLDED MEDIALLY ON ITSELF TO PROVIDE AN ELONGATED TUNNEL CONSTITUTED BY A PAIR OF LEGS JOINED BY A BIGHT PORTION WHICH IS CHARACTERIZED BY A SERIES OF CLOSELY ADJACENT LOOPS SEPARATED BY SAID SLITS; THE LEGS OF SAID TUNNEL BEING SECURED TO SAID UPPER ADJACENT THE UPPER PERIPHERY OF THE LATTER, WITH THE BIGHT PORTION EXTENDING OUTWARDLY OF SAID UPPER PERIPHERY; AND AN ELONGATED ELASTIC ELEMENT EXTENDING FREELY THROUGH THE TUNNEL LOOPS AND HAVING ONLY ITS OPPOSITE ENDS SECURED, WITH THE ELEMENT UNDER TENSION, TO SAID UPPER. 